Growth characteristics of Mycobacterium avium and group III nonphotochromogenic mycobacteria in HeLa cells.

Brosbe, Edwin A. (Veterans Administration Hospital, Long Beach, Calif.), Paul T. Sugihara, and C. Richard Smith. Growth characteristics of Mycobacterium avium (avian) to group III nonphotochromogenic mycobacteria in HeLa cells. J. Bacteriol. 84:1282-1286. 1962.-The close relationship of Mycobacterium avium (avian) to group III nonphotochromogenic (Battey) strains of mycobacteria stimulated interest in their behavior in HeLa cells. In general, the avian strains grew more slowly than the Battey strains; 10 of 17 avian and 3 of 12 Battey strains required more than 7 days to exhibit abundant intracellular growth. Branching filaments were observed with variable frequency in all of the strains studied. Branching occurred at right angles, and was seen more often with the Battey strains and the avian strains isolated from swine. These observations indicate that the growth rate and growth pattern of avian and Battey mycobacteria in HeLa cells are not sufficiently specific to facilitate distinguishing the two species from each other.